Uchiha Kurohane had been unable to learn Ninjutsu before, so he had trained hard in Taijutsu since childhood.
He thought it was foolish for ninjas to fight with their fists.
In the early parts of Naruto, there were plenty of scenes where someone sent an enemy flying with a punch or a kick, only for the enemy to come away completely unharmed.
If they had used a kunai instead of their bare hands, they could at least have wounded their opponent.
In reality, ninjas were all high in offense and low in defense. Most powerful fighters had ordinary human physiques.
As long as you could stab one of their organs with a kunai, you had basically secured victory.
That was why Uchiha Kurohane hadn't trained in ordinary Taijutsu, but in a style of Taijutsu that used kunai.
He was an expert at fighting with kunai, and he had just acquired Yakushi Nonō's close-combat talent Entry.
She was also a ninja skilled at fighting with kunai, so Uchiha Kurohane was now very strong with them.
However, he didn't know how strong Uchiha Mikoto was. He would have to fight her to find out who was stronger.
"Sure. Let's do it your way."
Uchiha Mikoto knew her conditions were too harsh. She'd expected Uchiha Kurohane to object and had already prepared to negotiate with him.
She hadn't expected him to agree so readily, without a single complaint.
That only made Mikoto feel awkward.
I'm five years older than him, and I've already graduated from the Ninja Academy. I'm a Genin.
I have far more combat experience than he does. Fighting him is like an adult fighting a child.
And I'm still taking advantage of him? I'm being shameless.
As Uchiha Mikoto felt guilty, she found herself admiring Uchiha Kurohane even more.
He was young, but he had a refreshingly straightforward personality.
Is he confident he can beat me, or does he just not mind losing and becoming my little brother?
As Uchiha Mikoto thought it over, she finished the rest of her pancake, brushed the dust off her bottom, and stood up.
She took two wooden kunai from her ninja tool pouch and held one out to Uchiha Kurohane.
"Let's start."
Uchiha Kurohane finished the rest of his pancake in one bite, took the wooden kunai, and walked to the other side to put some distance between himself and Mikoto.
Then he held out his index finger and beckoned her over.
For some reason, Uchiha Mikoto felt annoyed by the gesture.
Kurohane really thinks I'm a pushover. Damn it, I can't let myself look bad. I'll show him what I can do!
Uchiha Mikoto gripped the wooden kunai and pushed off hard with both feet, springing forward like a coil.
She charged at Uchiha Kurohane at lightning speed, thrusting the wooden kunai toward his heart.
Mikoto used the momentum of her charge to add force to the strike.
Although she was fast, her speed was still only at a Genin's level.
Even without activating his Sharingan, Uchiha Kurohane could see her clearly. He raised his wooden kunai and easily blocked her attack.
Clang!
The two wooden kunai collided with a dull sound.
He blocked my attack without even activating his Sharingan?
The rumors that he was a dead last really were false!
Uchiha Mikoto didn't dare let her guard down. She focused and fought with everything she had.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Thrust! Sweep!
Mikoto attacked repeatedly with her kunai.
Uchiha Kurohane kept blocking with his own.
Clang, clang, clang!
Although Uchiha Kurohane didn't attack and only defended, his immense strength still traveled through the wooden kunai and into Mikoto's hands.
Before long, Uchiha Mikoto felt her small hands growing sore and weak. Panic began to creep into her heart.
He's so strong!
It's a good thing I forbade him from using Chakra Enhanced Strength beforehand. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have a chance.
If this keeps up, I won't be able to hold on to my kunai for much longer. I can't fight him head-on. I need to use technique!
Uchiha Mikoto planted her feet and leapt high into the air.
She spun and soared!
She nimbly leapt behind Uchiha Kurohane and thrust her kunai toward his lower back.
Through the crow perched in a tree, Uchiha Kurohane saw Uchiha Mikoto's movements. Without turning around, he swung his arm behind him and blocked her kunai with his back still turned to her.
Uchiha Mikoto was stunned.
Does he have eyes in the back of his head?
How can he see an attack from behind?
Even the Sharingan can't do that!
After blocking Mikoto's attack, Uchiha Kurohane made no move to turn around. He simply stood there with his back to her.
His confident stance made Mikoto take an involuntary step backward.
Why didn't he turn around after blocking my attack?
Is he going to fight me while keeping his back turned?
Is he showing off, or does he look down on me?
Although, he really does look cool!
The ironclad rule of ninja combat was never to expose your back to the enemy.
It was the first time Uchiha Mikoto had seen anyone fight with their back turned to an opponent. Her heart raced, and her cheeks flushed.
He's so cool, but he doesn't have the Byakugan, so he can't see what's behind him. This is my chance to win!
Uchiha Mikoto steeled herself and repeatedly thrust at Uchiha Kurohane's back.
But she didn't know that Uchiha Kurohane was deliberately teasing her, giving her hope that she could win.
Keeping his back to Mikoto, he casually dodged from side to side, evading her attacks again and again.
Uchiha Mikoto was dumbfounded. She couldn't understand how Uchiha Kurohane could see her.
She stabbed at him as hard as she could, but never managed to land a hit. The frustration made her inexplicably furious.
The beautiful girl had lost her usual grace and become determined to take Uchiha Kurohane on.
Grinding her teeth, she kept stabbing at him in helpless rage.
After dodging a few more times, Uchiha Kurohane decided that was enough. He suddenly turned around and lunged straight at Mikoto.
Mikoto was too caught up in the fight to react. Uchiha Kurohane tackled her to the ground.
Using the Jujutsu talent he had learned from Yakushi Nonō, Uchiha Kurohane mounted Mikoto's slender waist, pinned her shoulders down with both hands, and held her against the ground.
Uchiha Kurohane curled the corners of his mouth, gazed down at Mikoto's delicate oval face, and said with a wicked grin,
"Mikoto, you lost."
Uchiha Mikoto stared at Uchiha Kurohane pinning her down. It took her a moment to react.
She had actually lost—and Uchiha Kurohane had pinned her to the ground. How embarrassing!
He was five years younger than her, after all.
Mikoto couldn't accept that she, as the older sister, had been pinned down by a little boy.
Uchiha Mikoto smiled wickedly and thought,
You're just a child, and you're too light to hold me down.
Mikoto suddenly tensed her waist and legs, forcefully rolling over until she was straddling Uchiha Kurohane's waist and pinning him to the ground.
Uchiha Mikoto smugly stuck out the tip of her pink tongue and licked her lips.
"Wrong. I'm the winner. You have to keep your promise and be my little brother~"
At that moment, Uchiha Mikoto exuded the domineering allure of an empress.
Being straddled by a girl made Uchiha Kurohane's heart pound.
The sight was utterly alluring.
For a moment, Uchiha Kurohane really wanted to be Mikoto's little brother and do her bidding.
But he was going to become a man who stood above the Five Kage.
He had lofty ambitions and would never submit to a little girl.
Uchiha Kurohane tried to turn the tables as well.
Seeing him struggle, Uchiha Mikoto panicked and hurriedly pressed down hard on his shoulders.
Her petite body also strained to press down on him...
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